The present invention relates to burner apparatus, and more particularly, to apparatus having a burner which is easily connected to fuel and air-supply conduits.
Heating devices such as furnaces and dryers which utilize solid fuel are well known. A typical solid-fuel heating device includes a burner located within a firebox and conduits through which solid fuel and combustion-supporting air are supplied to the burner. With extended operation, combustion heat tends to warp or otherwise degrade the burner, requiring expensive and time-consuming burner replacement. Heat transfer from the burner to the device's fuel-supply conduit may produce fuel obstruction in the conduit, for a reason now to be considered.
One type of solid fuel which has recently been developed is pelletized biowaste, such as densified wood-waste pellets having a 10% to 12% moisture content. Characteristically, the pelletized fuel swells during dehydration. Consequently, when the fuel is used in heating devices of the type described above, where significant heat transfer from the burner to the fuel-supply conduit occurs, the fuel may become significantly dehydrated and expanded within the conduit, producing fuel conduit obstruction. This problem has limited the use of fuel of this type in prior art solid-fuel heating devices, despite efficient combustion and relatively low cost of pelletized biowaste fuel.
It is one general object of the present invention to provide, for use in a furnace or dryer firebox, solid-fuel burner apparatus which substantially overcomes the just-discussed problems associated with the prior art.
A more specific object is to provide such apparatus having a burner which is easily removed for cleaning and replacement.
Another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus constructed to reduce heat transfer to the fuel-feed components thereof.
Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus in which ash and clinkers are diverted away from the apparatus.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus having a burner which is mounted in cantilever fashion within a firebox by detachable connection to fuel-infeed and air-supply conduits extending into the firebox.
The apparatus of the present invention includes a fuel-feed conduit and an air-supply tube mounted adjacent the conduit, in heat-exchange relationship therewith. The conduit and tube are adapted to extend into the firebox of a heating device. The burner in the apparatus includes a receptacle having an upper opening and a jacket forming an air chamber about the receptacle. The burner is detachably mounted on the conduit and tube through a port communicating with the air chamber and a duct communicating with the receptacle's interior, respectively. Forced air supplied to the air chamber through the tube is vented into the upper region of the receptacle. The jacket has an upper side wall portion which inclines outwardly on progressing downwardly from the receptacle's upper opening, to divert spill-over ash and clinker material away from the receptacle.